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Amid Fresh Pressure On Jonathan Ahead 2027: Security Agencies Probe NDDC’s Purchase Of Former President’s Bayelsa Property
…Sylva, Dickson, Ogbuku close ranks as three northern billionaires pledge financial war chest
…Gov Diri perfects defection plans
Amidst the growing efforts towards coalescence by the opposition parties against the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, a fresh pressure has reportedly come upon former President Goodluck Jonathan to throw his hat in the ring.
Curiously, this pressure comes barely two weeks after the Samuel Ogbuku-led Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) allegedly procured an imposing edifice owned by the former president to house the State Office of the interventionist agency.
Although it could not be independently confirmed if the purchase of the said property has any link with the fresh pressures on Jonathan to run for the nation’s number seat, an alleged swift move by a combined team of security agencies to probe what a source described as “hurried procurement” has created anxiety amongst the leadership of the NDDC.
“Yes it is true a combined team was asked to make deep inquiries into the matter to unravel the rationale and the motive behind the hurried procurement that is meant to push funds into a potential opponent’s purse”.
“Mind you, it is just an investigation; and inquiry and not a probe as you might want to put it. But our worry is that the funds spent could have built a new office rather than buying an old edifice for whatever it is worth.
Asked if it is not a witch-hunt, the source dismissed that it such: “It is not a witch hunt; it is not a new thing and this is coming to the public may be because it involves a former president”
A worried Ogbuku, ostensibly backed by a cabal within the Presidential Villa was allegedly sighted (uninvited) at the seat of power to have audience with President Tinubu, was told to return at a later date.
According to the source, three billionaire- businessmen and a serving senator from the north have pledged to raise funds alongside Ogbuku, for the return of Jonathan.
“You know the man(Jonathan) is not as wealthy as people think he is; and one of the first ways to shore up some funds was for his strategists to sell out that property to raise the initial funds for consultations within and outside the country”, a source in the know of the matter confided in our correspondent.
But this latest move coming from Jonathan’s trusted allies across the country is in defiance of former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan’s disclosure that her husband will not run for the Presidency in 2027.
The source disclosed that Jonathan’s initial hurdle was the home front where two former governors were not on same page with him even as the incumbent has finalized arrangements to defect to the APC.
But he said reconciliation efforts reached a high point last week when the NDDC MD visited Bayelsa to unveil the commission’s State Office in Yenagoa
As part of the process to woo Jonathan into the race, the coalition forces led by a former governor from the north, has brokered truce amongst stakeholders in Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa.
The source said two former governors, Timipre Sylva and Henry Seriake Dickson as well as the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sam Ogbuku have been reconciled of their differences.
“You know Dickson and Sylva have never been friends politically. The former was also not having a good relationship with Jonathan even though Jonathan was instrumental to making him governor to the detriment of Sylva. And if you recall, the NDDC MD is a political son of Sylva; in fact, he was his chief of staff.
“So when we did our findings, we discovered that the current governor Diri has already finalized arrangements to defect to the APC and for Sylva, this is political suicide because it will retire him.
“Even the NDDC MD is not disposed to Diri coming to APC because he wants to be governor and he is convinced Diri’s defection to APC will truncate that ambition; so he is also looking at a fresh platform and that is why he was open to reconciling with Dickson so that they can be same page.
“Of course for Dickson, the APC is a no go area even when he knows quite sticking to the PDP has potential legal dangers that might jeopardize his career. Jo’s is not alone on this, all those Jonathan’s associates who were members of the Green Movement in Bayelsa have this same feeling and that is why they reopened the doors to defy Mama.
According to the source, two leading lights in the coalition arrangements, former senate President David Mark as immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai are billed to meet with Jonathan within the week to continue with the discussions.
The anticipated meeting is said to be brokered by an associate of the former president who is a member of the House of Representatives and strong force in the Green Movement, a political group founded by the former president more almost twenty years ago.
Penultimate week, it was reported that a senator and four House of Representatives members from Bayelsa state rejected overtures from Governor Diri to join them in defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
Governor Diri has reportedly finalized arrangements to defect even as he had met critical opinion leaders and stakeholders both in Bayelsa and the wider Ijaw nationality enclave.
He is said to have secured commitment and assurances from members of the State House of Assembly that they would defect with him the thorn in the process has been the defiance of the federal lawmakers.
The lawmakers are Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West), Hon Fred Agbedi(Sagbama/Ekeremor), Mitema Obodor(Ogbia) and Marie Ebikake(Nembe/Brass)-all from Bayelsa.
According to a credible source close to the ruling party’s national headquarters, what is delaying the official defection of Governor Diri in particular is the decision of the federal lawmakers not to defect alongside with him.
“The entire south south is already on board. We know there are some grey areas we need to sort out but from all indications, the challenges are seemingly intractable because of the individuals involved.
“The governor of Bayelsa for instance is already on board in spirit; we have made profound progress in our discussions and he has even received support and backing from the state lawmakers that they would join him.
“But the issue is that of his predecessor who is now a senator and four federal lawmakers who are very close to him who have refused to show any understanding. In fact, they have threatened to dump him politically if the governor dares defect to APC.
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